Hydrocarbon production operations often involve the handling of high saline water recovered from a subsurface oil or gas reservoir along with the oil or gas. Typically such saline water is separated from the particular hydrocarbon and disposed of by surface ponding or by reinjection into the formation. With surface disposal, the soil will become contaminated with salt and/or other materials and rendered unsuitable for plants and vegetation. With subsurface disposal, piping leaks, breaks or operational upsets at the surface could cause the surface soil to become contaminated by the saline water.
Current technologies available for the treatment of surface soils contaminated with organic or inorganic pollutants can be classified as in-situ and ex-situ techniques. In the in-situ process, solvent is sprayed on the surface of the contaminated soil. The solvent, after contacting the soil and dissolving the organic or inorganic materials, is collected via a pump or perforated pipe located below the soil's surface. In the ex-situ process, the contaminated soil is excavated and moved to a central location where soil is performed.